Danstar Windsor Wtf?

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Further research on the intermawebs on this has shown me:

1. Poor flocculator and can leave lots of yeast in suspension (my problem - opaque beer);
2. Cold Conditioning can fix it, but it needs to be a longer time (whereas with US-05, a day or two's CC is enough to clear it up);
3. Isinglass (or if your are cheap, maybe gelatin) will help settle in the keg; and
4. If you can't deal with all of this, don't use it for pale beers.

Goomba

 

[Bribie G]

I've only used Windsor once and it took a bottled mild 2 months to clear. Tasted fine, but for the first six weeks the beer in the bottles was only clear for the top two cm. I don't use dry yeasts for UK ales any more, but I thought I'd give it a try.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

If I wasn't out of beer, it'd had ended up cold conditioned longer and I wouldn't be too bothered with letting it settle down.

As it stands, I'll have to get hold of some isinglass (I only have gelatin) and see if I can clear this baby up. I don't have the opportunity to brew for at least another couple weeks, so I'll either have this or nothing.

Goomba

 

[[email protected]]

LRG,

Gelatin will clear it up no need for isinglass. Plenty of good instructions on how to do it on the site.

 

[drsmurto]

I've never noticed Windsor to be a poor flocculator.

From my experience a big part of the reason it's a low attenuator is the fact it drops out quickly. To get 60% apparent attenuation out of it i have to aerate before and rouse daily.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

LRG,

Gelatin will clear it up no need for isinglass. Plenty of good instructions on how to do it on the site.

I've used gelatin in the past, but somethign I read, seemed to indicated that isinglass is more comprehensive as far as clearing goes.

@Dr S - I've only ever used it in dark beers, so opaqueness or otherwise was never an issue, neither was the fact that it appears as though suspended yeast tends to mute hopping (as my darkies were low hopped).

Goomba

 

[MarkBastard]

I recently used a Windsor/US05 mix in a Bitter and it came out crystal clear though I did filter it and cold conditioned before that for a few days.

 

[drsmurto]

I've used gelatin in the past, but somethign I read, seemed to indicated that isinglass is more comprehensive as far as clearing goes.

@Dr S - I've only ever used it in dark beers, so opaqueness or otherwise was never an issue, neither was the fact that it appears as though suspended yeast tends to mute hopping (as my darkies were low hopped).

Goomba

I use it in amber beers as well as darker styles and have never had an issue with clarity (when using this yeast).

All my ales spend 2 weeks in primary and then are racked and cold conditioned @1C for a minimum of 1 week, normally 2-3.

Suspended yeast has a flavour so yes, will mask hops but 60g of dry hopping should have gotten through.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

I use it in amber beers as well as darker styles and have never had an issue with clarity (when using this yeast).

All my ales spend 2 weeks in primary and then are racked and cold conditioned @1C for a minimum of 1 week, normally 2-3.

Suspended yeast has a flavour so yes, will mask hops but 60g of dry hopping should have gotten through.

Part of this issue is the fact that I ran out of beer and this batch went from grain to brain in a week. Last time I used windsor, I was far more patient.

The dry hopping is getting through (I can smell and taste cascade and willamette), but not the 10min kettle additions (Galaxy & Citra mainly), which is the real *wow* factor of this beer.

Goomba

 

[wobbly]

DrS quotes

From my experience a big part of the reason it's a low attenuator is the fact it drops out quickly. To get 60% apparent attenuation out of it i have to aerate before and rouse daily.

Can either he or any opne else expand on the comment "rouse daily"

Does this mean give the fermenter a "good shake" or take the lid off and give the wort a "stir' with a sterilised spoon/instrument

Comments would be appreciated as I am using this yeast for the first time and hope not to stuff it up

Cheers

Wobblyu

 

[drsmurto]

DrS quotes

From my experience a big part of the reason it's a low attenuator is the fact it drops out quickly. To get 60% apparent attenuation out of it i have to aerate before and rouse daily.

Can either he or any opne else expand on the comment "rouse daily"

Does this mean give the fermenter a "good shake" or take the lid off and give the wort a "stir' with a sterilised spoon/instrument

Comments would be appreciated as I am using this yeast for the first time and hope not to stuff it up

Cheers

Wobblyu

Not a good shake, more of a gentle swirl of the fermenter. No need to open the lid.

CCing a beer at the moment that used Windsor - 57%aa and bright.

 

[wobbly]

Dr S

Thanks and cheers

Wobbly

 

[Mikedub]

[SIZE=medium]I’m putting down an ESB tomorrow and thought I’d try out the Windsor and 05 combo mentioned in this thread, from others experience I should be lucky to get 65-70%aa[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]MO[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]5% crystal [/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]9% Candi Syrup amber, [/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]OG 1.048 - IBU 38.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]Trying to design this around this yeast, any suggestions for a mash temp?[/SIZE]

 

[slash22000]

I got 74.6% attenuation in an English bitter I made with the 50/50 US-05 / Windsor combo. Rehydrated at ~35ºC (brought it down to pitching temp with cool wort). Gave the fermentor a good splash around before I pitched.

Roused the yeast every day after the first few days by giving it a bit of a swirl.

 

[Screwtop]

I got 74.6% attenuation in an English bitter I made with the 50/50 US-05 / Windsor combo. Rehydrated at ~35ºC (brought it down to pitching temp with cool wort). Gave the fermentor a good splash around before I pitched.

Roused the yeast every day after the first few days by giving it a bit of a swirl.

Maybe more to do with a dominant strain, have a read: http://www.danstaryeast.com/articles/killer-brewing-strains


Screwy

 

[slash22000]

Not 100% sure, it's the first and only time I've used it so far. But the beer definitely has a good yeasty estery English character which is definitely NOT the US-05.

 

[Mikedub]

I made a starter with Windsor this week good flavor so looking forward trying it out with with a bitter, then maybe a porter on the cake, I should have made the syrup tonight but ended up watching the league test, which is odd cause I'm not a fan of the code.
Awesome, its brew day tomorrow, :super:

 

[GalBrew]

Poor attenuation indeed. Was recommended for a gluten free beer, bombed out around 1.030 and very poor floc.

 

[slash22000]

It doesn't pretend to have good attenuation though. Even the Danstar site specifically says it is a low attenuator. Weirdly there are a lot of conflicting reports about its flocculation. Some people say their Windsor beers drop clear as glass. The Windsor / US-05 beer I made has been cloudy even after cold crashing at -1ºC, adding gelatin, and almost 2 weeks in the keg. Only now it's coming out halfway clear.

I like this combination though and I'll be using it again, partially because I want to know if my high attenuation was a fluke or maybe if I'm blessed by the Danstar Gods.

 

[Mikedub]

I might pitch the Windsor and see where it gets to before adding the 05, just cause I'm curious